Chained Echoes

Pure NintendoKirk Hiner

9.5/10

By now, you've likely heard the accolades for Matthias Linda's throwback JRPG, Chained Echoes. Believe every word of it. This is a fantastic game that succeeds at everything it sets out to accomplish.Read More

RPGSiteAdam Vitale

9/10

Many independent RPG creators are inspired by the classics, but few succeed in their genre aspirations in the same way that Mattias Linda has.

Nintendo World ReportJordan Loades

9/10

I ended my playthrough of Chained Echoes at roughly 65 hours. On the Switch OLED this game is beautiful, the vibrant pixel art aesthetic shines on screen, and its performance other than the aforementioned UI bug is flawless. Gameplay is also buttery smooth and appears to be running at a high frame rate. I enjoyed my time in Valandis so much that I experienced as much of the side content as I could. This full length RPG stands as a love letter to the games I grew up with. The inspirations are clear, and yet this is a wholly unique RPG experience that anyone who has an affinity for the style–…

Impulse GamerJamie Kirk

Chained Echoes is a project seven years in the making from solo developer Matthias Linda. It is a love letter to 16 and 32-bit JRPGs of the past and wears its

WayTooManyGamesHeidi Hawes

9/10

Classic RPGs are one of my favorite types of games. I’m always on the lookout for a good old-school RPG to satisfy that nearly insatiable craving. I’ve played countless over the years, with most barely managing to leave their imprint on my memory. Fortunately, I’ve also been lucky enough to have had some truly memorable experiences, with Rise of the Third Power, Ara Fell, and Octopath Traveler being some of the most fun I’ve played in recent years. When I came across Chained Echoes fr...

RPGamerAlex Fuller

Chained Echoes is proof positive that all-round excellence is achievable regardless of budget. It's a game that can be savored by modern players and those pining for the glory days of 16-bit JRPGs alike.

Game RantGreg Delmage

9/10

Considering the hubris of Chained Echoes, it should not work, but it does, and beautifully. Matthias Linda has created a broad world that is ripe for further exploration. The only worry now is that the bar is set too high, but it's hard to imagine the team creating anything with less passion and polish. After playing through a creative, familiar, yet distinct game that engages players in nearly every way, one can only hope that there will be more from the brilliant team behind Chained Echoes.

VGChartzEvan Norris

9/10

Overdrive club.It's amazing what one person can do. In the video game industry we're used to seeing teams of [...]

Game InformerMatt Miller

8.75/10

Chained Echoes deceives at first glance, making you question if you missed it back when its seeming contemporaries, like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger, were making a big splash. Of course, the reality is this lavish and imaginative RPG is brand new, crafted mostly by a single developer as both an homage to and celebration of those old games, even while injecting a healthy dose of new concepts. The resulting adventure may look like something from 30 years ago, but it plays with a sophistication that deserves attention from any genre fan.

Video ChumsA.J. Maciejewski

8.4/10

If you're like me, you've been waiting for Chained Echoes to release for quite a while; well, it's finally here and it's great stuff.

XboxEraGenghis "Solidus Kraken" Husameddin

7.8/10

It is amazing how much passion was put into this project by its sole developer Matthias Linda and the artists involved. And you can see it permeate through the games gorgeous 16-bit visuals, accompanied by Eddie Marianukroh’s phenomenal score consisting of tempered orchestra and pleasing synthetic melodies. Despite my frustrations with the combat system, there’s a lot of good you’ll find in Chained Echoes. I can easily recommend this game for any Super Nintendo era role-playing game. A beautiful rose with a very sharp thorn.

GamingTrendDavid Flynn

55/100

Chained Echoes is an incredibly uneven RPG heavily inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears. With bad writing, poorly thought out mechanics, and an overly complex… everything it can be hard to get through. Even so, there is a little fun to be found here, mostly near the beginning.